Direct Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of Graphene on Insulating Substrates

Recent years have witnessed an increase in attention to the direct synthesis of graphene on a variety of insulators by virtue of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which has shown great potential in a broad range of applications. In this Focus Review, we summarize the key research efforts on the development of CVD routes to allow direct deposition of graphene on insulating materials, with a special focus upon our recent progress towards graphene synthesis employing hexagonal boron nitride, glass, and SrTiO3 planar substrates, as well as NaCl powders. To begin with, we outline the important features and necessities in the field of graphene synthesis by direct CVD. We then provide an upto-date research summary with respect to the employment of substrate (planar vs. powder; novel vs. conventional), the design of synthetic methods, and the quality/property control of products. Finally, we discuss the potential challenges and opportunities for the direct CVD growth of graphene on insulators.